Railroad tie



March l0, 19.25.

-G. B. COX

RAILROAD 'rm Filed Aug. 1e, 1924 uv VEA/rn George. 00m

WITNESS/fs W f I/ MW Patented Mar. 10, 19,25@

UNITE-D STATE-ld flauti-.nonnina y '.'Ap'plia'tlon"filed-August V16, 1924. Serial No. 732,115.6.

To all whom t may conce/rn:

Be itknownthat'l, lGEORGE B. Cox, a V'citi- Zenv of the United States, andaresidentof' f`Wray, in the county of YumafandlState of Colorado, have invented a newv and Imis fa full, clear, and exact description.

rl`he invention l'relates to improvements in railroad ties, an object of the invention being to provide a metal tie composed of three parts which are secured together by a single wedge key and which function to support and securely clamp the rails in proper spaced relationship.

A further object is to provide a tie which can be composed of sheet metal, stamped, rolled, or otherwise shaped, and which will be strong and durable in use.

i further object is to provide a tie, the several parts of which can be quickly assembled and clamp the rails, and which facilitates the removal of a tie and replacement thereof without seriously affecting the other ties and railroad structure.

lilith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a plan view illustrating my improved tie in operative position, supportingI and clamping a pair of rails;

Figure 2 is a. view in longitudinal section through the center of the tie shown in Figure l;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views of the different members of the tie.

M7.' improved tie comprises three members A, B, and C. The member A constitutes an intermediate member and the members and C, which are precisely alike although reversely positioned, constitute end members. although it is to be understood that the members have telescoping engagement so that they overlap and telescope at the center of the tie, but for convenience of description l shall refer to the member A as the intermediate member and the members B and C as end members. These members A` B and C are all formed of sheet metal, or they may be rolled or otherwise made, but they will be of relatively thin material and may be relatively light.

The member A constitutes an inverted channel with base'lfl'anges l 'at the y lower edges of the side flanges, andthei'top :flangeQ-and side-flanges 3 arelre'essed or cut away at the' ends ofthe intermediate i u member so ias tolconformin shape 'to one proved Railroad T1e,of whichithe following',V

side-of the rails-4. Hin otherwords, thefends rolf the intermediate ln'ieiliiber' Aare so .sliaiged as tolprovide relatively ,lowupstanding webs 5 on which thebase 6 ofthe rail is supported, and also this shaping of the ends of the member A provides rail-engaging tongues 7 which project against and conform in shape to one side of a rail so as to clamp against the same.

The members B and C also constitute inverted channels having base flanges 8, and are located under the member A and telescope therein. These members B, C have recessed portions 9 to receive the rails 4 and are so shaped as to provide upstanding webs l0 which likewise support the rail bases 6 and have inwardly projecting tongues l0 which bear against the outer faces of the webs of the rail. In other words, when the members A, B, C are properly together their recessed portions present a combined opening or recess which conforms to the shape of the base and web of the rails so that when they are moved loi.- gitudinally in one direction relative to each other they effectually clamp the rails as well as support the same.

To bring about this clamping action it will be noted that the inner ends of the members B and C are cut away at opposite sides so that the inner extremities, indicated by the reference numeral ll, overlap and these extremities have openings l2 therein which register with openings 13 in the member A so that when a wedge-shaped key 14 is forced into these openings l2 and 13 it will function to draw the end members B and C inwardly and effectually clamp the rails 4; between the members.

It will thus be noted that my improved tie can be easily, quickly and eiiiciently assembled and securely held after the key wedge is inserted. When this wedge is removed the members can be separated and the tie removed. Thus I provide a structure which not only eiiiciently supports and clamps the rails but permits the same to be readily connected to the rails or disconnected therefrom as occasion may require.

Various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general form of the parts described Without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall Within vthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A railroad tie, comprising three telescoping members, two of said members overlapping Within the third member, and a Wedge-shaped key locking the members together.

2. A railroad tie, comprising three inverted channel-shaped members, each hav` ing base anges, one of said members adapted to be located between a pair of rails and shaped at its ends to engage and support the rails7 the other members telescoping under the iirst-mentioned member and having recesses therein receiving and supporting the ping Within the intermediate portion of the iirst-mentioned member and having openings therein registering With openings in the first-mentioned member, and a Wedge key inserted through said openings, clamping the rails between the members and securing the members together.

3. A device of the character described constructed to perform the functions stated.

GEORGE B. COX. 

